New Developments in Detroit

Hotel News

Detroit’s first Cambria Hotel broke ground in November. Cambria Hotel Detroit-Downtown is slated to open by the end of 2020 as part of an adaptive reuse of the historic Walker-Roehrig Building. The $50 million project will feature locally inspired design, 158 guest rooms, multi-function meeting space and a grand ballroom. Other amenities include: Immersive, spa-style bathrooms with Bluetooth mirrors; Contemporary and sophisticated guestrooms, complete with modern fixtures, abundant lighting, and plush bedding; Rooftop bar with pool; Onsite restaurant, Verona by Fabio Viviani, featuring freshly made food, local craft beer on tap, wine, and specialty cocktails; and state-of-the-art fitness center with spa amenities.

Buddy’s Pizza and H&M Open First Downtown Detroit Locations

Buddy’s Pizza, home of the Original Detroit-Style Pizza, is now open in the Madison Building in downtown Detroit. The restaurant offers a quick-service area to grab favorite square slices, sandwiches or wraps to have on-the-go and accommodates up to 225 dine in customers. Consistently voted Detroit’s number one pizza locally, regionally and nationally, the Farmington Hills-based restaurant remains true to its Detroit roots, legacy and traditions that began on the corner of Six Mile and Conant more than 70 years ago.

H & M, Hennes and Mauritz Inc., one of the world’s largest fashion retailers famous for offering fashion and quality at the best price in a sustainable way is now open on Woodward Avenue in Detroit. H & M is a one-stop shopping destination for quality clothing, with collections for ladies and men, with a separate “shop in shop” section for accessories.  This location will also carry the H&M Kids collection for newborns to 14 year olds.

Dining Returns to the Top of the GM Renaissance Center

Highlands, a dynamic social and culinary destination featuring three unique concepts and epic private events space by Detroit native and James Beard award-winning Chef Shawn McClain, along with partners Richard Camarota and Sarah Camarota, of McClain Camarota Hospitality, is now open on the 71st and 72nd floors of the GM Renaissance Center. The three restaurants include Highlands Steakhouse, a creative riff on the traditional steakhouse; Hearth 71, a vibrant, edgy and fun restaurant serving locally sourced, rustic dishes; and High Bar, serving cocktails that moonlight as art and offering an epic collection of whiskey and scotch along with savory bites and indulgent desserts. Highlands Events will offer guests signature, highly curated events with stunning top-of-tower views as the backdrop.

Robert C. Valade Park opened along the Detroit Riverfront in October 2019. The park features a large, sandy beach; an imaginative children’s playscape inspired by a West Coast lifeguard station; a musical garden; and a large shed structure for programs and retail. It also includes a bridge along the RiverWalk, which connects Stroh River Place to Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre. In spring 2020 Bob’s Barge, Detroit’s only floating bar, will open featuring multiple unique seating areas and planters made of recycled truck tailgates from Detroit automakers. A restaurant featuring sushi and barbeque will also be fully operational at the park by next year. Programming will be available at the park throughout the winter.

In September 2019 the Motown Museum broke ground on the first phase of its $50 million expansion. Work has begun on a space to be called Hitsville Next, home to the museum’s growing series of youth and community programs. The first of four planned construction phases, it will link three houses east of the famed Hitsville building that served as Berry Gordy’s original headquarters and studio, now the heart of the museum. It is scheduled to open by late summer 2020.

The Dossin Great Lakes Museum has broken ground on a $4.9 million enhancement project to be completed in 2021. Enhancements include an upgrade to the museum’s outdoor maritime artifact displays, new riverwalk and observation telescope, new kayak launch, new pedestrian lighting, bike racks, benches and a cycle service station.

The District Detroit is a dynamic urban destination in the heart of Detroit. The District’s main feature, Little Caesars Arena, debuted in fall 2017, and is the new home to the Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Pistons, as well as host to a range of sports and entertainment events, concerts, family shows and community functions. Now open in the District Detroit is Frita Batido’s, a Cuban-influenced restaurant out of Ann Arbor, with a full bar and a menu with Cuban burgers and sandwiches and tropical milkshakes. Also coming to The District Detroit is a new Starbucks location, Union Joints restaurant, Michigan’s first Rush Bowls location, Middle Eastern Sahara Restaurant & Grill and University of Michigan apparel retailer, The M Den.

In summer 2018 Ford Motor Company announced the acquisition of the iconic Michigan Central Station. It will be the centerpiece of a vibrant new campus in Detroit’s Corktown neighborhood that will serve as an innovation hub for Ford’s vision for the future of transportation. Once completed, the vaulted waiting room will be open to the public, with restaurants, retailers and community spaces. Office space for Ford employees and partner firms will fill most of the tower portion of the building. The upper three stories will be hospitality space, which could include a hotel and conference center. The building will be powered by 100 percent renewable energy. Construction is expected to continue through the end of 2022 and the building should be fully occupied by mid-2023.

Construction is underway on the Hudson’s site development with plans for the site to include a hotel, retail, office, residential and public space, expected to be complete in 2023.

Visit Detroit is a private, not-for-profit organization whose mission is to market and sell the metropolitan Detroit area on a worldwide basis as a destination for leisure and business travel including conventions, trade shows, corporate meetings, tours and incentive travel to maximize additional visitors, visitor expenditures, state and local tax revenues and job opportunities.

More than 700 businesses are represented in Visit Detroit’s membership. Visit Detroit was founded in 1896 as the world’s first convention and visitors bureau. visitdetroit.com